PRIMARY school teacher Jodie Ferris will run, cycle and climb to raise money for baby loss charity Sands in honour of her daughter Poppy.

Poppy was born prematurely in November 2016, three months before her due date, along with identical twin Holly.

The pair were seriously ill, with Poppy born without a heartbeat and needing more than 20 minutes resuscitation and Holly born anaemic, struggling to breath and needing numerous blood transfusions.

While the pair fought to stay alive, Poppy died just three weeks later.

"We had them three months early which was a shock but all the same we couldn't believe we were finally going to be a mummy and daddy," said Jodie, a reception teacher at Statham Primary School in Lymm.

"It sounds stupid now but we never realised that having them so early would be so dangerous and frightening.

"We travelled between the two hospitals to visit our baby girls for two weeks until finally Poppy and Holly were reunited.

"As the weeks went on Holly was getting stronger and gaining weight nicely.

"After three weeks, Poppy couldn't fight anymore but she fought so hard for those three weeks. That's why I decided to do three challenges to raise money for Sands."

The mum-of-two, from Grappenhall, completed the Great Manchester Run 10k last Sunday with plans to take on a bike ride from Chester to Liverpool in July and a climb up Mount Snowdon in August for the charity.

Sands work with bereaved parents, their families and friends, to support them in coming to terms with the loss of a baby.

It also works with midwives and doctors to improve bereavement care, as well as improving research around neo-natal deaths.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jodie said: "The loss of a child is unbearable and something that no one should ever have to go through. This is why I have decided to raise money for the Sands charity in memory of our precious angel Poppy.

"I'll be doing it on my own but some of my family and friends have decided to take part and support me during the challenges.

"I do running but I haven't done anything active for a very long time.

"After I lost Poppy I suffered quite badly so I thought this would be a positive way for me to keep Poppy's memory alive. It's called #Poppyspromise to promise to help other families going through the same thing."

Pupils at Statham have also been raising money for the charity, through cake sales and football tournaments, with Holly's nursery the Old Vicarage, in Appleton, completing a sponsored singalong.

Donations to Jodie's fundraiser can be made at justgiving.com/fundraising/jodie-ferris